1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an emergency escape apparatus for allowing wheelchair bound or other physically handicapped persons, elderly people or children to safely escape a multi-story residence. The apparatus is supported and guided by a vertically oriented hollow column which also serves as a container for a counterweight and speed control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The threat of fire to occupants of a multi-story home is always a concern. Recent improvements and advances in smoke and fire detectors can now reliably provide early warnings of fire and smoke. For able-bodied adults, these warnings, as well as prior planning and escape apparatus such as rope ladders, etc. have greatly improved the prospects for escape from a burning structure. However, for the elderly, young children, the physically handicapped or wheelchair bound residents, even an early warning does not always help in escape when there are stairs or other obstacles to negotiate.
One solution is the incorporation of a conventional electrically powered elevator within or outside the structure. The problems with this approach are many. The initial cost, which can be upwards of $20,000, is prohibitive for most people. Interior elevators also take up considerable space on two floors within the structure, and, during a fire, any electrically powered elevator can experience electrical problems or shutdowns which render it virtually useless.
A number of escape apparatus have been designed which rely on gravity to effect a descent with braking action provided by damping or the like. In one such unit, described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,646,964 to Andrews, an escape unit (not shown) is attached to a descent cable wound on a reel. A vertical column supports a take-up reel to which is attached a return cable with a weight attached to the bottom. The weight moves within a column of liquid, such as oil, and includes holes which perform a valving action so that the descent rate of the escape unit is controlled by the flow rate of the oil through the holes in the weight. The escape unit is apparently supported solely by the descent cable and appears to be designed for use by able-bodied individuals since it refers to attachment to a window.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,621 to Schiewe, an escape cage is slidably attached to vertically oriented tracks affixed to the side of a building. A vertically disposed cylinder is positioned between the tracks and a piston-counterweight attached to a cable moves up and down within the cylinder as the cage moves up and down on the tracks. The piston-counterweight has seals on either end to provide an air-tight seal against the cylinder walls. A complex valving arrangement permits a fluid, such as air, to be exhausted from the cylinder below the piston-counterweight and reintroduced into the cylinder above the piston-counterweight at a controlled rate to allow the descent rate of the cage to be regulated. Emergency brakes are provided in the event of a damping failure. Conceptually, the Schiewe device is designed to allow a handicapped individual to reliably escape from a multi-story structure. However, the complexity of the apparatus, including the multiple valves and interconnected lines, adds undue expense and maintenance problems. The requirement to attach rails directly to the building exterior to support the cage as it moves up and down limits the type of building to which it can be attached and detracts from the aesthetics of the system.
Therefore, a need still exists for a safe, reliable and effective escape apparatus for allowing elderly, wheelchair bound or otherwise physically handicapped residents or young children to safely exit a multi-story residence. Such an escape apparatus should preferably be self-supporting and self-contained, should require no outside power source for its operation, should be of relatively simple construction, should be inexpensive, and should be capable of installation without modifications to the residence itself. Furthermore, the escape apparatus should be designed for reliable operation in virtually any weather conditions.